Maharashtra violence rock Lok Sabha

Violence in Maharashtra in the wake of arrest of MNS chief Raj Thackeray was among several issues that paralysed proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Violence in Maharashtra in the wake of arrest of MNS chief Raj Thackeray was among several issues that paralysed proceedings in the Lok Sabha today, with Congress allies LJP and RJD joining the opposition in disrupting the House.

LJP and RJD members demanded that Thackeray be booked under murder charges in the wake of the death of a Bihari youth following an attack by MNS activists.

"Maharashtra Government stop drama over Thackeray issue, intervene in the matter," they chanted slogans.

This led to adjournment of the House for nearly three hours.

The other issues that caused uproar included protests by BJP members over the alleged stoppage of funds under the NREGA to party-ruled states, AGP members storming the Well demanding a judicial probe into Assam violence and Kerala MP Abdullah Kutty's demand for restoration of rice quota for the state.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was initially unrelenting and threatened members with action if they did not return to their seats. He suspended Kutty, a CPI(M) member, for the day for waving placards in the House.

Chatterjee also warned RJD member Ram Kirpal Yadav, who was flashing some papers in the Well of the House.

"Are we to be known as the most unruly people in the country," wondered an exasperated Speaker.

As the members were unrelenting, he adjourned the House till 2:00 pm.

Trouble broke out in the House soon after it lauded space scientists for the successful launch of Chandrayaan-I and the Indian cricket team for the crushing defeat they inflicted on the touring Australians.